Letter – Nicholas Walton to John Smeaton – 2 Dec 1770

Part of Mr Walton Junrs Letter of 2nd December 1770 to Mr Smeaton



      The Weather has been tollerable last Week.  Monday a fine day - Tuesday Snow and Sleet all day - Wednesday, Thursday and Friday fine - Saturday Cold but fair til about Seven o Clock when it began to rain and continued til past Eleven when I went to my Chamber. This day fine, but promises some kind of Fall before tomorrow morning.  In general the whole Week Colder than Common at this Season.  They have already had more Snow at Langley Mill than at any one time before since Mr Mulcasters arrival there.

      I am now naturaly led to turn my thoughts to our Operations at the Lead Mill and as I think every thing has turned exactly right at the Stamp Mill but yet that Mr Mulcaster does not altogether seem to be of the same Opinion.  I notwithstanding send you the Paragraph in his Letter, by which it appears what we meant to do, has been executed according to directions.  He says ‘We have tryed the Stamp Mill and Refining to go together and find that now the Refining will be as much too slow for the Stamp Mill as it was too Swift before, however it is the better way of the two for the Stamp Mill will be doing something while the Refining is at Work whereas before she could do nothing; had the Refiners had only Six in the room of Eight Kamms   I believe they would have gone pretty regular together; however as they now are the Troughs are capable of carrying Water enough for both Works, for the Stamp Mill is going at her common Working pace, the Refiners for their Washing have not Occasion to add any more Water as the Refining can do with when it and the Stamp Mill are both at Work together.’

      Robson the Washer at the Lead Mill who had the small Pox was, when I heard from Mr Mulcaster, in a hopeful way of Recovery.